DE 39 40 395 A1 describes customary arrangements of wheel bearings. Wheel bearings are either accommodated completely in a wheel carrier or the like, or are suspended on a flange. Tests have shown that the wheel modules with wheel bearings which are as a rule suspended on the wheel carrier via a flange on the outer ring make up a higher weight proportion of the unsprung masses than wheel bearings which are arranged in a hole of a wheel carrier. The construction of the wheel bearings, which are suspended on the wheel carrier and are therefore at least partially self-supporting, and their suspension is to be of particularly rigid design, which results in the increased weight proportion in comparison with the wheel bearings which are accommodated in holes.
DE 39 40 395 A1 thus describes a wheel bearing having an outer ring, rolling bodies and two inner rings, in which the outer ring has a radial flange axially between the end sides and away from the end sides, with which radial flange the wheel bearing is suspended. The wheel bearing is fixed axially and radially on the wheel carrier via the flange A hollow cylindrical section of the outer ring which adjoins the flange axially is seated in a hole of the carrier, with the result that the outer ring bears against the carrier axially by means of the flange and at least partially radially at least with the section. The weight proportion of the solidly configured flange on the outer ring is relatively high. This has a disadvantageous effect on the overall weight of the unsprung masses of a wheel module on the vehicle.
Furthermore, DE 39 40 395 A1 describes a wheel bearing which is accommodated completely in a hole of a wheel carrier. The outer ring is of solid configuration and manufactured by material removing machining. A press fit which is customary in the roller bearing field secures the outer ring in the hole. In the case of loading of the wheel bearing during driving operation, the outer ring tends to move axially despite the press fit. To counteract this, the outer ring is secured in the hole with a securing ring axially on one side and is supported on an inner shoulder on the other side. The preparation of a bearing seat of this type is complicated, as the shoulder makes material removing machining difficult in the axial direction. Furthermore, the notch is to be introduced for the securing ring. The press fit also often becomes loose during driving operation, with the result that notches are produced on the carrier or on the outer ring by wear, and/or the known and undesirable creaking noises occur, as a result of the micromovements of the outer ring with respect to the carrier. The weight of the solid outer ring has a disadvantageous effect on the total balance of the unsprung masses on the vehicle.